Hamlet's Horatio and the Therapeutic Mode
Abstract
The legitimate area of action for the psychiatrist is not yet clearly defined. This paper studies psychotherapy, comparing it with the role expectations of friendship. Parallels are drawn from Shakespeare's Hamlet between the true friendship of Horatio for Hamlet and the psychiatrist's stance toward the other, and between the false friendship of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern for Hamlet and the psychiatrist's action on behalf of society. The author urges the psychiatrist to carefully consider the ethical implications of "pseudotherapy."
Access content
To read the fulltext, please use one of the options below to sign in or purchase access.- Personal login
- Institutional Login
- Sign in via OpenAthens
- Register for access
-
Please login/register if you wish to pair your device and check access availability.
Not a subscriber?
PsychiatryOnline subscription options offer access to the DSM-5 library, books, journals, CME, and patient resources. This all-in-one virtual library provides psychiatrists and mental health professionals with key resources for diagnosis, treatment, research, and professional development.
Need more help? PsychiatryOnline Customer Service may be reached by emailing [email protected] or by calling 800-368-5777 (in the U.S.) or 703-907-7322 (outside the U.S.).